Spyderco Forums

Woodpuppy wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 12, 2020 12:17 pm

I’d rather keep the blade thin; it’s a slipit after all so particularly suited for slicing.

Woodpuppy wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 12, 2020 12:17 pm

I’d rather keep the blade thin; it’s a slipit after all so particularly suited for slicing.

sal wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 12, 2020 6:23 pm

What is the only pattern available for the DC18 material?

Cambertree wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 12, 2020 6:58 pm

I feel the DS93X is perfectly acceptable steel for a knife that would be used. If it's not to be used and merely a collectors piece safe queen, then does it really matter what Damasteel grade it's made out of?

I'd definitely like to try Vanax, but the actual edge retention in Larrin's recent '48 knife steel' tests was about the same as Cruwear, Elmax and S30V, and not a great deal more than CPM154. Where Vanax pulls ahead is obviously in extreme corrosion resistance, and possibly in edge quality and sharpening response. Is higher corrosion resistance that much of a desirable trait in a knife like this? Not really to me.

Having said that I'd like to test Vanax out for sure, but it sounds like a whole new round of R&D testing would also need to be done for the DC18N steel, whereas it's already been done for the DS93X steel.


If DC18N was not a great deal more in price, I'd say go for it, but I feel it might be quite a bit more expensive.

Regarding the blade thickness, I'm strongly opposed to going thicker than 2.5mm bladestock. The thin bladestock is what makes the UKPK a great cutter, and fundamentally I would like a knife that performs well underneath all the cosmetic flourishes.

I've seen some 'designed by committee' knives on other forums, where the knife ended up with a whole bunch of blingy features, but ended up in my knife drawer never to be used, because people neglected to insist on some of the most fundamental qualities that make a knife a good cutter - thin bladestock, and thinly ground blade geometry.

Cambertree wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 12, 2020 6:58 pm

I feel the DS93X is perfectly acceptable steel for a knife that would be used. If it's not to be used and merely a collectors piece safe queen, then does it really matter what Damasteel grade it's made out of?

I'd definitely like to try Vanax, but the actual edge retention in Larrin's recent '48 knife steel' tests was about the same as Cruwear, Elmax and S30V, and not a great deal more than CPM154. Where Vanax pulls ahead is obviously in extreme corrosion resistance, and possibly in edge quality and sharpening response. Is higher corrosion resistance that much of a desirable trait in a knife like this? Not really to me.

Having said that I'd like to test Vanax out for sure, but it sounds like a whole new round of R&D testing would also need to be done for the DC18N steel, whereas it's already been done for the DS93X steel.

If DC18N was not a great deal more in price, I'd say go for it, but I feel it might be quite a bit more expensive.

Regarding the blade thickness, I'm strongly opposed to going thicker than 2.5mm bladestock. The thin bladestock is what makes the UKPK a great cutter, and fundamentally I would like a knife that performs well underneath all the cosmetic flourishes.

I've seen some 'designed by committee' knives on other forums, where the knife ended up with a whole bunch of blingy features, but ended up in my knife drawer never to be used, because people neglected to insist on some of the most fundamental qualities that make a knife a good cutter - thin bladestock, and thinly ground blade geometry.

bbturbodad wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 12, 2020 7:28 pm

x2

fixall wrote: You’ve echoed my thoughts exactly sir.

I’d only add that I’m also concerned about the actual availability of Damacore in a timely manner for the amount needed for this project. It seems pretty hard to get a hold of and I’d rather not be waiting a couple of years for this run if it can be avoided.

sal wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 12, 2020 6:23 pm

the original request was for "Damascus". I moved the discussion to "Damasteel", because it was readily available, atainless and easier to work with. The request was for the "look".

sal wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 12, 2020 6:23 pm

Vanax is about 4 times more expensive than S90V and we seem to be having a problem getting a sample to test, besides the high price.

sal wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 12, 2020 6:23 pm

If the DC18N is the only acceptable material, we may have a new problem? What is the only pattern available for the DC18 material?

TomAiello wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 12, 2020 9:42 pm

Is the DC18N in short supply? Or is it just that it's expensive?

For what it's worth, I found small pieces for sale to check price. When buying a single piece that is 38 x 100mm (1.5 x 4") the price is in the $150-$200 range (https://www.brisa.fi/supplies/knife-ste ... core-dc18n). It looks like a 1 foot long piece (1.5 inches wide) is $325 (https://www.rwwilsonknives.com/store/p9 ... s_Eye.html). So if you were restricted to buying 12" pieces, and making 4 blades per piece, cost of materials for the blades would be about $75 (about half of the price if you bought just one piece of the right size to make one blade). Presumably, the price in larger quantities would continue to decline.

Superfool wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 12, 2020 10:41 pm

So here is my pre-poll roundup so far.

By my maths, Vinland, Hakapella and Hugin are the three frontrunners.

dAMA POLL.png

The final handle poll is up, IVORY G10 or shredded CF.
3 days.

Can we sort out the rest of the blade discussion, so we all agree and I can get his poll up tonight please?

Kind regards, David

Sumdumguy wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 13, 2020 4:27 am

Superfool wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 12, 2020 10:41 pm

So here is my pre-poll roundup so far.

By my maths, Vinland, Hakapella and Hugin are the three frontrunners.

dAMA POLL.png

The final handle poll is up, IVORY G10 or shredded CF.
3 days.

Can we sort out the rest of the blade discussion, so we all agree and I can get his poll up tonight please?

Kind regards, David

I think your chart is a bit flawed. I saw Ægir as first or second on several posts(including my own(and yours)

I'm still out, as I'm not interested in the handle choice. But, I don't want to see poorly compiled data, regardless.